Failed tutorial - but still kinda cool

36 posts in this topic

First off this tutorial is NOT of a successful paint technique. This attempt was a failure. Not an abysmal failure, but not what I intended. But, I still think this can work. Step into Robby-land and have a look.

Okay, I've wanted to try this type of paint job forever. I don't know what it's called, I just know I like it. The theory is this. Model under the water, spray surface of water, pull model through the paint slick for a cool easter egg looking pattern.

However I wanted to try to take the pulling the model out of the water step out of the equation so I don't have to worry about pulling too fast or slow.

So I came up with this. Idea.

Step 1. Paint model in a light color. Krylon Pebble tan this time.

Step 2. Drill hole in bucket and put a piece of tape over it.

Step 3. Duct tape model (on a stand) to bottom of bucket and fill the bucket with with water. This here is where I went wrong.

Step 4. Spray surface of water with paint.

Edited 20 Dec 2012 by Jantrix

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Step 5. Remove tape over hole. Let water drain from bucket. In my minds eye I saw a nice level descent of the water. What I didn't account for was the paint adhering to the side of the bucket and pulling away from the center of the bucket where I needed it, as you can see in the following pics.

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I still think it's kinda cool and I may well leave it as is. However it was not as successful as I'd hoped.

However I do think this method can work. My mistake? Was too much water above the model. If I had only 1/2 inch of water over the model, I don't think I would have lost as much paint on the sides of the bucket and it would have covered the car. More soon!

My next attempt will be a yellow/blue/red blend over a Revell 41 Willys.

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You wasted a good bucket, Rob. I've done this in the past. I filled a bucket with water, sprayed the paint over the surface, dipped the model into the paint, used a paint stir to get rid of the excess paint, and lifted the model out. Works every time.

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You wasted a good bucket, Rob. I've done this in the past. I filled a bucket with water, sprayed the paint over the surface, dipped the model into the paint, used a paint stir to get rid of the excess paint, and lifted the model out. Works every time.

This is the way I did it also, works every time. Also warm water helps keep the paint from setting up too quickly.

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This is the way I did it also, works every time. Also warm water helps keep the paint from setting up too quick

I was concerned that pushing it down or lifting to slowly/quickly could cause issues, tearing the film like I did n in this instance. I was trying to take the "human factor" out of the equation. Thanks for your comments guys.

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I see what you're trying for here , Jantrix , and I'm digging the concept !

Tie-Dye with Liquid Gel ! Appropriate scheme for the '66 Chevelle you're working on .

If I may make a suggestion ; leave the resultant paint on it , but re-dip it by using the less-water process .

You know I think I'm going to leave it as is. It's over a base of tan, and I think the purple mess looks kinda cool and certainly unique. After a few days to dry, weather permitting I'll hit it with some gloss clear and see how it looks. This is not a new idea. This method has been around for years, but few people take the time to do it because its not something you see on 1:1 automobiles. Glad you guys like it.

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That's always a cool effect when it works right. First time that I saw this was in the old Car Model magazine way back in the late 60's when Hank Borger demonstrated it on I think a Mustang Funny Car. He had the technique perfected, the body was placed on the bottom of a pan then filled with water, paint sprayed on and swirled then the body was lifted up through the paint film. I can't remember what he used to lift the body thorugh the paint, fishing line or thread at the wheel wells would work. Almost like the guys are telling us that they made it work too.

The second thing that it looks like is that you may not have enough surface area in the bucket to cover your wagon, that's a pretty big body. Picture the body in terms of flat like a box laid out including the flaps for the inside of the ends, that's what you are calculating quick and dirty method but it works. Pretty near to the way that you would figure out how to put a vinyl wrap on the same vehicle including the excess and waste.

Say the body is 9" long 5 inches high and 4 inches wide now figure out the surface area it will take to "wrap" the body thinking of the height as another part of the length the two 5" high ends make 10" + 9" for the body gives you 19" long. Now figure out the width once again the ends are going to be 5" each for 10" + 4" body width = 14" so you will need about a 14" X 19" Container add an inch to the height to make sure that you have enough water cover. So you are going to need about a 6" deep X 14" wide X 19" Long container. Easy way to do that would be a cardboard box with a plastic bag liner. Paint, dip, drain, dry bag, toss bag and hopefully keep body!

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That's pretty cool. I think this same method could work for a muddy look on an off road build too. Just use tans and browns, and put the body in upside down at an angle to give it the illusion that mud was thrown up from the ground.

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On you tube they have done swirl paint jobs on guitars, you have water with borax powder mixed, a few drops of whatever color combination you wish of

paint, immerse the object into the paint, turning and adhering the paint the way you wish, them skim the rest of the paint off the water and no more paint will spoil your first effect. here is another guy that uses humbrol paints on a bass guitar